Just as with anything else that depends on taste, judging the most superior whiskey is subjective. However, there are competitions that bring together brands and judges with sophisticated palates, and the verdicts tell consumers what won gold, silver, or bronze medals. The best small batch bourbon might well have had a double gold rating bestowed on it by a panel of discerning judges.
By legal definition, bourbons are made from mashes - often sour, or infused with a 'starter' from an earlier fermentation - that are more than 50% corn, have been aged for at least two years in charred oak barrels, and be at least 80 proof. Traditionally considered an exclusively American product, the whiskey most often will come from Kentucky, where iron-free water seeps through limestone to give superior results. Some well-known whiskeys are not from Kentucky, however, like Jack Daniels, which is made in Tennessee.
The evolution of this product of the American South is unclear. A Baptist minister supposedly began the charred oak barrel aging process. A distiller named James Crow gets the credit for creating the sour mash process, and Jacob Spears, another distiller, is credited with naming his corn whiskey 'bourbon.' The name, which is that of the French royal dynasty of colonial times, may have been taken from a Kentucky county or a famous street in New Orleans.
Bourbon-lovers are as poetic as wine connoisseurs when it comes to describing the flavors of a particular distillation. They speak of hints of caramel, new-mown hay, French toast, and the muskiness of a cigar box. A good corn whiskey is smooth, even if it's well over 100 proof. Flavor starts with the sour mash, and the aging process in charred oak barrels add both flavor and color to the finished product.
Although the law requires a minimum of 80 proof, none of this class gets to competition level. Aging is also optional, although two years is considered the minimum and anything under five must be so labeled. Small batches are usually nine or more years in the barrel. The 'smalls' are made with fewer barrels of spirits - to give greater quality control - with Maker's Mark at twenty being on the high side and Dickel Barrel Select (a Tennessee product) being made with fewer than ten.
People take their bourbon-drinking seriously. Although it is used in cocktails like the Manhattan and the Whiskey Sour, many drinkers prefer it neat. Others have it over ice or with a splash of 'branch water' (fresh from the creek in the old days.) The Mint Julep is famous as a summer-time highball in the Bluegrass State.
There are whiskey competitions around the country, such as the San Francisco World Spirits Competition and the International Whiskey Competition held in Chicago. In 2013, San Francisco judges liked a 'wheated' variety, the Pappy Van Winkle 15-year Old. Chicago judges picked Knob Creek 9-year Old for highest honors in the 2014 competition.
Just as wine lovers sometimes treat themselves to a rare vintage, you who love corn whiskey might want to try some of the award-winning brands on special occasions. See if you agree with international judges on what makes the best of the best.
By legal definition, bourbons are made from mashes - often sour, or infused with a 'starter' from an earlier fermentation - that are more than 50% corn, have been aged for at least two years in charred oak barrels, and be at least 80 proof. Traditionally considered an exclusively American product, the whiskey most often will come from Kentucky, where iron-free water seeps through limestone to give superior results. Some well-known whiskeys are not from Kentucky, however, like Jack Daniels, which is made in Tennessee.
The evolution of this product of the American South is unclear. A Baptist minister supposedly began the charred oak barrel aging process. A distiller named James Crow gets the credit for creating the sour mash process, and Jacob Spears, another distiller, is credited with naming his corn whiskey 'bourbon.' The name, which is that of the French royal dynasty of colonial times, may have been taken from a Kentucky county or a famous street in New Orleans.
Bourbon-lovers are as poetic as wine connoisseurs when it comes to describing the flavors of a particular distillation. They speak of hints of caramel, new-mown hay, French toast, and the muskiness of a cigar box. A good corn whiskey is smooth, even if it's well over 100 proof. Flavor starts with the sour mash, and the aging process in charred oak barrels add both flavor and color to the finished product.
Although the law requires a minimum of 80 proof, none of this class gets to competition level. Aging is also optional, although two years is considered the minimum and anything under five must be so labeled. Small batches are usually nine or more years in the barrel. The 'smalls' are made with fewer barrels of spirits - to give greater quality control - with Maker's Mark at twenty being on the high side and Dickel Barrel Select (a Tennessee product) being made with fewer than ten.
People take their bourbon-drinking seriously. Although it is used in cocktails like the Manhattan and the Whiskey Sour, many drinkers prefer it neat. Others have it over ice or with a splash of 'branch water' (fresh from the creek in the old days.) The Mint Julep is famous as a summer-time highball in the Bluegrass State.
There are whiskey competitions around the country, such as the San Francisco World Spirits Competition and the International Whiskey Competition held in Chicago. In 2013, San Francisco judges liked a 'wheated' variety, the Pappy Van Winkle 15-year Old. Chicago judges picked Knob Creek 9-year Old for highest honors in the 2014 competition.
Just as wine lovers sometimes treat themselves to a rare vintage, you who love corn whiskey might want to try some of the award-winning brands on special occasions. See if you agree with international judges on what makes the best of the best.
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